NEWS: Cambria Freeman; 17 May 1912; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 17 May 1912 Volume 45, Number 20 Personal Mention Former Judge A. V. Barker with his wife and daughter, Miss Helen, together with Mr. and Mrs. Fred D. Barker and their three children will leave Bradentown, Fla., for the north May 28th. Before coming home, however, they will spend two weeks in Atlantic City. Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Gates of Wilmington, Del., who are coming to Ebensburg some time this summer, recently attended the wedding of Mrs. Gates' school mate, Miss Watt, at Lancaster, Pa. Among the Ebensburgers who attended the funeral of Miss Fern Davis in Johnstown Wednesday were her uncles, Nathaniel and John Davis; her aunts, Misses Maggie and Alice Davis and Byron Davis and Russell Leech, the latter being one of the pallbearers. Mrs. Emory H. Davis and daughter, little Miss Florence, are in Braddock, the guests of the Rev. Henry Mahon and family, formerly of this place. Mrs. Davis will return within a few days but Florence will remain for several weeks. Louis Park of Pittsburg spent Sunday with his father, D. E. Park. Mrs. Samuel Kelly of Pittsburg, a sister of Mr. Park, has returned home for a few days preparatory to coming to Ebensburg to remain for the summer. Johnstown people in Ebensburg Tuesday and Wednesday were Mr. and Mrs. John B. Denny. Mr. Denny's father, Mathias Denny of Altoona, is in Ebensburg for a few weeks. Jacob Goenner, Attorney E. T. McNeelis, William V. Stibich and members of Mr. Stibich's family composed an automobile party from Johnstown to Patton this week. Attorney Herman H. Myers has returned home from a visit of several days with friends in Harrisburg. Mr. Myers stopped off in Johnstown to see "The Concert." Visitors to town Tuesday night were H. H. Hasler of Cresson, Lloyd H. Davis and Abram Abrams of Vintondale, who came to attend a Masonic lodge meeting. Steward S. Kinkead of Ebensburg saw "The Concert" at the Cambria Theatre, Johnstown, Wednesday night. Charles S. Evans was also in attendance. Attorneys Alvin Sherbine, James Graham and J. Earl Ogle, Jr., were among the Johnstown visitors in Ebensburg Wednesday and Thursday. Attorney Robert E. Cresswell of Johnstown, Democratic candidate for auditor general of Pennsylvania, was in Ebensburg Wednesday. S. M. Douglass of Ashville was among the Ebensburg visitors Saturday and paid THE FREEMAN office a pleasant call. Eldon Davis of this place, a pharmaceutical student at Pittsburg college, was in Ebensburg a few hours Monday. Attorney and Mrs. Frank J. Hartmann of town spent the week in Philadelphia, Atlantic City and New York. Among those in attendance at Normal school are Miss Muriel Batts and Miss Kopp of Dean township. Dr. Lee Conrad, James McGinnis, Mr. Blake and Frank B. Cook of Johnstown were in town Tuesday. Morgan W. Evans of Ebensburg is visiting his brother, Tom Evans, at the university of Michigan. A visitor to town Tuesday was Henry M. Gooderham connected with the state pure food department. James L. Berkebile of the Antler Hotel, Barnesboro, visited friends in Ebensburg Wednesday. Miss Martha Jones, daughter of Dr. F. C. Jones, has returned home from a visit to Indiana. F. P. Gillen of Gallitzin was in town Wednesday. Prof. R. H. Biter of Gallitzin was in town several days ago. George Rodgers of Vintondale was an Ebensburg visitor this week. A. J. Darragh of Pittsburg spent a couple of days in Ebensburg this week. Chief of Police Roscoe Custer of Conemaugh was in Ebensburg Wednesday. Russell Love of Johnstown spent Tuesday afternoon in the county seat. Miss Lillian Bell of Ebensburg spent Wednesday with relatives in Nant-y-Glo. Owen Smith, a clerk in the commissioners' office, visited in Barnesboro this week Father J. J. Deasy Hurt The Rev. Father J. J. Deasy, pastor of St. Patrick's Catholic church, Gallitzin, was rendered unconscious by a fall from a ladder in his church late Sunday evening while he was investigating a leak in the roof. Singer Killed Although he admits he struck his sweetheart with a heavy club, George Henderson of Johnstown, declared that the death in Johnstown Sunday of Miss Fern Davis, the 19- year-old choir singer, was not due to his blows but the fact that surgeons operated on her to bring her to consciousness. Henderson lured the girl to his home and struck her down with a club. She was unconscious continually thereafter and Saturday night Johnstown surgeons operated. "What did they touch her for?" asked Henderson in his cell. "If they'd let her alone, these doctors, she would have been all right in a day or so. The blow didn't kill her. It was the doctors. I was struck on the head once and unconscious for six days. I got over it. My girl would have recovered too." Henderson asked permission of the prison board to either attend Miss Davis' funeral at Johnstown Wednesday or go to the Davis home to see the body before it is buried. His request was refused. "I don't care what they do with me now," he said after hearing the refusal. "My little girl is dead and I have nothing left to live for." It took a coroner's jury just twelve minutes from the time it was sworn to find that Fern Davis had come to her death "as the result of injuries inflicted with a blunt instrument at the hands of George Henderson." Miss Davis was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Davis of Woodvale, Johnstown. She had been acquainted with Henderson for five months and he was most attentive to her. The evening Henderson inflicted the blow which killed, he and Miss Davis walked to the Henderson home in Conemaugh. It is said that while in the house Miss Davis told Henderson that she would have nothing more to do with him. Then, it is said, Henderson went to the cellar, wrapped some newspapers around a stick, came back upstairs and struck the pretty young woman. She was taken to the hospital, but never rallied. Thomas Davis, the unfortunate young woman's father, is a brother of Nathaniel Davis and John Davis (mason) of this place and is well known here. Miss Fern Davis had frequently visited in Ebensburg. Much sympathy is expressed for the young woman's family. Attorneys Percy Allen Rose and James W. Leech have been retained as council by the Davis family.